used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
Ah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
bonyadjectiveUS /ˈboʊni/
being very thin
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
charmsnounUS /tʃɑːrmz/
plural of “charm” — attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
embroideredverbUS /emˈbrɔɪdərd/
past form of “embroider” — decorate with needlework
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
coins made of gold
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
an opening into or through something
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
moanedverbUS /moʊnd/
past form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
a particular point in time
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
pearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/
plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
Queen-Mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
ringsnounUS /rɪŋz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
in an unfortunate way
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
satinnounUS /ˈsætən/
a smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull back
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading “Ah, I could,” he moaned, shaking his head sadly, “but my charms are all in the cave.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
sparkledverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəld/
past form of “sparkle” — reflect brightly
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
displeasing to the senses
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
precisely as stated
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “If that is true, why don’t you get out of this dark hole?”
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was dressed in a purple satin gown with gold birds embroidered upon it, her bony fingers sparkled with rings, a long chain of pearls was around her neck, and he knew by the crown on her head that it was the Queen-Mother herself.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The next moment he was surprised to see an ugly old woman coming toward him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I have heard that you were very wise,” she said, peering at him.
